Input devices including proximity sensor devices (also commonly called touchpads or touch sensor devices) are widely used in a variety of electronic systems. A proximity sensor device typically includes a sensing region, often demarked by a surface, in which the proximity sensor device determines the presence, location and/or motion of one or more input objects. Proximity sensor devices may be used to provide user interfaces for the electronic system. For example, proximity sensor devices are often used as input devices for larger computing systems (such as opaque touchpads integrated in, or peripheral to, notebook, laptop, and tablet computers). Proximity sensor devices are also often used in smaller computing systems (such as touch screens integrated in cellular phones).
Some input devices also have the ability to detect force applied to a sensing surface in addition to determining positional information. Both hinged and uniform clickable pads typically employ a mechanical or electronic switch, such as a rubber or metal domed tact switch, to detect a button click, as well as a spring mechanism to restore the pressed surface to its nominal position following a button click.
Presently known clickable input pads are limited in that the area designated for button clicks tends to limit the area available for proximity sensing. In addition, the rigidity of the keyboard deck into which the click pad is mounted is reduced by the presence of the hole through which the pad is mounted to the keyboard deck. Moreover, a supplemental stiffening layer is typically needed to support the cyclic bending and restoration of glass reinforced epoxy laminate (FR4) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) circuit boards used in presently known input devices, which increases the cost and complexity of the devices. Devices and methods are thus needed which overcome these shortcomings.